Taxes and Budget Bill to increase taxes on top earners is a step toward a fairer tax code and could be modified to deliver an even bigger boost to Mainers struggling with rising costs Maine Center for Economic Policy applauds the passage of LD 1231, “An Act to Bring Fairness in Income Taxes to Maine Families by Adjusting the Tax Brackets” […] MECEP Posted April 12, 2024 Tags Budget, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Jobs and Income, Taxes and Budget Maine lawmakers have signed off on worker protections — now they must fund their implementation Through 2023 and 2024, the Maine legislature passed seven bills to improve Mainers’ rights at work — but these bills won’t become law unless the Appropriations and […] James Myall Posted April 12, 2024 Tags Budget, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Wages
Taxes and Budget Tax Fairness — An Explainer What is tax fairness? Taxes help pay for things that benefit everyone, like good schools, clean air and water, and safe roads. Businesses also need these things […] Karin Leuthy Posted April 12, 2024 Tags Explainer
Taxes and Budget It’s right to re-examine highway funding in Maine At a glance: Highway fund revenue is projected to be $19 million more than what was budgeted last year Shifting $11 million of extra highway funds to […] James Myall Posted April 11, 2024 Tags Budget, Revenue
Education, Jobs and Income Poor pay and strained working conditions cause staffing shortages in Maine schools At a glance: Maine has a shortage of educators due to wages that are not competitive Maine educators make less on average than peers with similar levels […] James Myall Posted April 8, 2024 Tags Children, Economic Security, Education, Job Quality, Jobs, K-12 Education, Wages
Maine’s Economy People seeking asylum and refuge benefit Maine’s economy — lawmakers need to support them At a glance: People seeking asylum and refuge pay more in taxes than they receive in public assistance over the long term, providing overall benefits to employers […] James Myall Posted March 27, 2024 Tags Economy, Immigration, Racial Equity
Taxes and Budget 8 reasons to call foul on a Sea Dogs tax subsidy With so many other unmet needs in our state, Maine taxpayer dollars should not be used to subsidize a privately owned sports management company. LD 2258, “An […] Maura Pillsbury Posted March 20, 2024 Tags Budget, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget Legislature shouldn’t give up on fixing highway funding As of 2023, the Maine legislature has chosen to divert just over $100 million annually on an ongoing basis from the state’s general fund by dedicating 40 […] James Myall Posted March 14, 2024 Tags Budget, Revenue, Sales Tax, Tax Fairness, Taxes
Taxes and Budget The case for corporate transparency Mainers work hard to support themselves and their communities. They pay taxes to fund the services communities need to thrive, like education, health care, and infrastructure. But […] Maura Pillsbury Posted March 12, 2024 Tags Budget, Corporate Power, Tax Breaks, Tax Fairness
Health Care Proposed changes to Medicare Savings Program would impact 45,000 older Mainers’ eligibility for health care benefits Last year, Governor Mills signed a budget into law that expanded eligibility to the Medicare Savings Program (MSP), a profound investment in helping older Mainers pay for […] Arthur Phillips Posted February 29, 2024 Tags Health Care, Medicare, Seniors